The present invention relates to a vibratory roller. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vibratory roller that is configured for use in compacting asphalt in potholes, and that is configured to be hand-operated and to be maneuvered by a human.
Vibratory rollers are used in the construction industry, compacting sand, gravel and asphalt in the construction of roads, parking lots and driveways. There are several types of vibratory rollers. They can be divided into two general groups. The first group includes self-propelled double drum units where the operator sits on a platform operating the vibratory element as well as the forward and reverse movement, namely, the direction in which the unit is travelling. The other group is the walk-behind type where the operator walks behind the roller controlling the vibratory element as well as the forward and reverse movement of the unit. These units are in the range of several hundred to thousands of pounds in weight, and are more suitable for large road repairs rather than for small potholes. There has been a need for a smaller, easy to maneuver, and lightweight vibratory roller for small repairs and primarily for compacting asphalt in potholes.
For small jobs, such as filling an individual pothole in a section of a roadway, it is well known in the industry that workers can try to compact asphalt in the pothole by hand, but this is ineffective. The usual method of pothole repair uses asphalt supplied from the bed of a truck, such as a truck operated by a department of transportation or another work crew. A person with a shovel typically walks behind the truck and fills the potholes with asphalt. He then flattens out the asphalt by hitting it with the shovel a few times in an attempt to pack down the asphalt. However, this method does not result in sufficient compacting of the asphalt. After a few cars and trucks have passed over the pothole the asphalt is pushed out, and usually a larger pothole is created, so the site of the pothole needs to be repaired again. Eventually, as the first pothole gets bigger, and as there are more potholes near the first pothole, the road has to be repaved. If the potholes are compacted properly, they will last as long as the rest of the asphalted surface, which eliminates the time and expense associated with improper repair of the pothole.
In view of the above, there is a need for an improved pothole packer that is well-suited for smaller jobs and is easier to operate.